Portable truss.



E.' H. WHITNEY. PORTABLE TRUSS. APPLICATION FILED MAY6. 19:5,

Patented July 11, 1916.

MZTIZZSSES:

ronraetn 'rnuss.

specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 6, 1915. Serial No. 26,301.

To all whom may concern:

Be it known that l, EDWARD H. earner, a citizen of the United States, residing Superior, in the county of Douglas and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Trusses, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improv ementsin portable trusses, and especially to a portable truss which may become available for vari pus j obs of lifting and suspending various articles, v

The primary object of the invention isto provide a simple and readily adjustable device of this character to facilitate in. the unloading of automobiles'from railway lOOli cars. I

Another object, is to construct the device in such a manner that the maximum strength may be afforded from the least amount of material, and thus provide anexceptionally convenient supporting truss.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application; Figure 1 is 'a'side elevation of my improved truss in an operative position. Fig" 2 is a front View of one of the bifurcated ends of one of the struts of the truss. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view through a box car, illustrating the application of the device in removing an automobile therefrom. a I

Referring non to the drawings in which like "reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several figures, 1 represents the horizontal member, or tie-rod, of the truss, Whioh'is preferably formed of a piece of metal pipe or tubing, this being .of a length somewhat less than the distance between the side Walls of an ordinary boX car. A screw threaded bolt 9;, having a nut 3 mounted thereupon, is designed to freely fit within each end of the pipe, there being one such bolt and nut for each end of the pipe 1, and When positioned Within the pipe,

as illustrated in the drawings, it is evident thatthe over-all distance between the protruding ends thereof, may be variedat' will by turning one Way or the other the nuts 33, the object of which will appear later, the nuts 3 3 being considerably larger in diameter than the pipe. Braces or struts 4 and 5 are pivotally attached at their bifurcated ends to the rod 1, by means of a through pin 6, such points of attachment be pins 6, thus forming a suitaro'ie engaging means for block and tackle. The bifurcated ends of the struts Hi and 5 are arched slightly iniv :d to providefor their snugly folding inwardly against the rod 1 when the truss is being transported from place to place. lfhe struts 4 and 5 are of metal practically the same size as the rod 1, each havingtelescopic'ally' mounted therein a smaller and somewhat shorter pipe 8, having a plurality of through transverse holes 9 therein, which may be made to register with similar through holes 10 Within the s'truts lTand 5,

as" clearly seen in the drawings. By this arrangement the struts may be extended or shortened to suit circumstances, there being one or more boltsll employed in engaging the struts and pipes through the holes therein, and at the predetermined relative position desired.

Within the outwardly extending end of each of the pipes 8 is loosely fitted the screw threaded bolt 12, having the nut 13 mounted thereupon, by which the length of the bolt protruding beyond the pipe 8 may be read 1y varied, which is identical with the'adjustmentof the bolts 22 in the ends of the pipe 1.

In the application of the device to unloading automobiles from a box car, the lowermost tier of automobiles having been re moved first, the truss is placed up close to the ceiling of the car, just above one end of the automobile to be lifted. and the bolts 22 extended longitudinally by turning the nuts 33 in the proper direction, until the ends of the bolts are forced tightly against I complished by turning the nuts 13-13, when the truss Will be firmly fixed in place ready to lift. Suitable lifting tackle. such as chain blocks l6-16 are then hooked into the clevis'e's 77 and attached to the automobile as desired, preferably to the ends of the spr ngs, as illustrated. A duplicate of this arrangement may be employed at the oppomobile nearest the door in the car is usually more accessible to single tackle. \Vhen' the suspending tackle 1s thus attached, tension 1s applied thereto, until the weight of the autoi mobile is taken up. at which time the term porary staging 17 is removed and the automobile lowered to the floor of the car.

From the foregoing it is evident that I have produced a simple and practical truss which is especially well fitted for convenience in unloading automobiles from box cars.

"Ha-ting thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is, I

1. rrde'vice of the character described,

comprising a tie-rod means adjacent its ends and cooperating therewith for changing the length thereof. longitudiimlly ad justable struts pivotally attached to the rod. and means for suspending the load from the tie-rod.

Q. A device of the character described, comprising a tie-rod, means adjacent its ends and cooperating therewith for changing the length thereof,- a longitudinally adjustable strut pirotally attached to the tie rod adjacent each end thereof, means for attaching 'hoisting tackle at the pivotal points of contact of the struts and tie-rod. 3. A-deyice ot' the character described, comprising a tie-rod. means carried by the rod and cooperating therewith for changing the length thereof, longitudinally adjustable struts pivotally attached to the rod and means for suspending a load from the tie-rod.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atlix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDlVARD H. WHITNEY.

\Yitnesses:

A. C. Dcx'x S. G120. STEM-INS. 

